Knit, Blog & Be Happy!

In my blog post, Knit Your First Sweater, I mention that many people do not like to knit sweaters because they have trouble with fit. Knitting a sweater from top down, as most patterns are designed these days, gives the you the opportunity to ensure the pattern will fit because it can be tried it on as you knit.   My Cargill Sweater is the perfect example of how important it is to stop and try on a sweater.  I knew that trying the sweater on was going to be part of the knitting process for this project because I was in between sizes. I knit the smaller...

Rebecca Clow's Cargill Sweater is simply lovely. As I mentioned in the newsletter, I watched the @purlificknitter's progress on the sweater as she test knit the piece. Her first post was a simple photograph of the yoke and I was hooked.  The stitch pattern, color and yarn captivated me instantly.  I watched as Camay finished and modeled the sweater, waiting for its release.  Late last week Rebecca published the pattern. Koryn, Teri and I spent Saturday morning looking at yarn combinations and colors.  We chose Cashmere Treats Cashmere Merino Luxe as the base yarn and, depending on the color, either Rowan Kidsilk...

So many knitters are afraid to take on sweater knitting.  We often hear, "it is too difficult" while they sit working on their 15th pair of socks and, let's face it, there is nothing simple about turning a heel or the Kitchener stitch. Or "that is way too much knitting for me" as we wind the third skein of fingering weight yarn to make an enormous 1000-yard shawl. The final protest is "I have tried but they never fit well". I fully admit, that is a valid reason, indeed.  Like anything, the first (or third) try may not be perfect. So that sweater will...

Raise your needles if you're ready for chunky knits!  Arriving just in time for holiday knitting, this week's spotlight is one you'll want to wind right up. Introducing Shibui's latest yarn base, Murmur.  Like a small cloud of featherlight fluff, this bulky-weight yarn has a lovely airiness thanks to the chainette construction of its strand. Softly waving fibers of Superbaby Alpaca and Merino Wool are blown through, giving this yarn plenty of irresistible puff. Oh, so soft—we’re thinking of the coziest accessories to wear against our skin! Murmur is a Shibui’s first chunky yarn! It comes in a 50 gram, 65...

We had such a lovely day with Sarah Pedersen of Sea Change Fibers and Kacey Herlihy of Kacey Knits last weekend!  Sarah brought a collection of her amazing yarns, and Kacey, our favorite local designer showcased her designs, highlighting those knit in Sea Change Fibers.  Koryn said that each Monarch staff member couldn't resist going home with a new yummy project.  Such a great start to the fall season! Autumn officially begins on September 22, so let's continue celebrating a tad bit early with another trunk show, shall we? Blue Sky Fibers Trunk Show September 15th to October 14th We are so pleased to be...